Buoy-coupling.



W. H. LOGAN & J. NIELSON.

BUOY COUPLING.

APPLXCATION FILED SEPT. 1. 1915.

1,173,820. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

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BUOY-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Feb. 29, 191.

Application fil'ed September 1, 1915. Serial No. 48,494.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, VILLIAM H. LOGAN andJOHN NIELSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Bandon, in thecounty of Coos and State of Oregon, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Buoy- Couplings, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to couplings for marine buoys and it consists inthe novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a coupling of simple anddurable structure adapted to be applied to a floating buoy for thepurpose of connectingthe same with the cable or anchor chain.

Heretofore it has been the practice to form an eye at the head of thebuoy, and this eye is caught through the terminal link of the cablechain, but owing to the weight of the chain and the constant movement ofthe 'buoy in the water, the eye eventually wears through and the chainis frequently lost. Even if the chain is retained, it is necessary atfrequent intervals to lift the buoy, disconnect the chain from the eye,and place a new head with a new eye upon the buoy in lieu of the headand eye removed. This in volves considerable expense, and it is theobject of the present invention to provide a device which may be easilyand quickly applied to the head of a buoy for the purpose of connectingthe cable chain with the same, thereby reducing the expense in replacingthe said parts after they have been worn and become unfit for service.

\Vith the above objects in view the device consists in its preferredform in providing an annular groove at the side of the head of the buoy,and hooks provided at their shanks with flanges are applied to the sidesof the head of the buoy. The flanges upon the shanks are seated in thegroove and a ring surrounds the shank and is securely held in positionby a cross bar which passes through In the accompanying drawings: Figure1 is a side elevation of the lower part of a buoy showing the couplingapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of one of the hooks. Fig. 4 is similar view looking atthe hook at a right angle to the view shown in Fig. 3. F 5 is a,sectional view of a slightly modified form of the coupling. Fig. 6 is atransverse sectional view of the form shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the buoy 1 is provided with ahead 2 which in turn is surrounded at its side by an annular groove 3.I-Iooks I are located at the opposite side portions of the head 2, andthe said hooks are provided at the upper edges of the shanks 5 withflanges 6, which lie in the groove 3. The bill ends 7 of the hooksoverlap each other, and the end of one hook ektends up within the innerportion of the shank of the other hook, and vice versa.

The bill of each hook is provided at its end with an outstanding lug 8and the shanks 5 of the hooks are provided at their inner sides withrecesses 9, which receive the said lug. A band 10 surrounds the upperends of the shanks 5 of the hooks and hold the flanges 6 in position inthe groove 3. A wedge-shaped bar 11 passes transversely through theupper portions of the shanks 5 of the hooks 4, and the lower edge of.the band 10 has contact or bears against 7 the upper edge of the saidbar. A cotter pin 12 passes through the smaller end portion of the bar11, and is located beyond the outer surface of the shank of one of thehooks 4; and holds the said bar in position in the shanks. The terminallink 13 of a cable chain receives the bills 7 of the hooks 4-,consequently the said hooks serve as means for coupling the cable chainto the buoy 1.

In the form of the invention as shown in Figs. 5 and (3 the shanks 5 ofthe hooks i are secured to the head 2 by means of rivets 14, and in thisform the said head is devoid of the annular groove 3 hereinbeforedescribed in conjunction with the form shown in Fig. 1. The band 10 inthe modified form of the invention surrounds the shanks 5 and covers theouter ends of the rivets or studs 14.

The form of the invention as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, isemployed when the buoys are put out new with the specific form ofcoupling means attached thereto.

In the event that a buoy has to be removed from the Water for repairsthe form of the invention as shown in Figs. 5' and 6 is employed,wherein the shanks of the hooks are secured to the head of the buoy bymeans of the rivets or studs, and the ring 10 is placed about 'theshanks in a Vmanner to cover the outer ends of the said-rivets" orstuds.

WVhile the coupling-is described as a buoy attachment it will beunderstood 'that'it may be used to advantage for connecting an an Whatis plied to the-head thereof, and provided With recesses, said hookshaving their bill ends overlapping each other, each hook having a lugWhich enters the recess ofthe other h'ook.

3. In combination With a buoy, hooks applied to the head thereof andprovided with recesses, said hooks having their bill ends overlappingeachotheneach hook having at recess of the other hook.

4. In comblnatlon with a buoy havlng a circular head, hooks havingsemi-circular shanks applied "to the said head, the bill ends of thehooks overlapping each other.

5. In combination with a buoy, hooks having shanks applied to the headthereof,

the groove -of the :head and means for hold-- ing the shanks againstthehead.

In testimony-whereof'We afiix our signatures in presence of tWoWitnesses. a

f WILLIAM H. LOGAN. JOHN'NIELSON' l/Vitnesses g I l/VM; BINGAMAN,

E. STEINHOFF.

Copies of this patent may'be obtained for five-cents each-byadflressingthe Commissioner of latents,

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3t -the-end of its'bill a lug Which entersthe

